Carton



Patented Dec. 14, 1943 I an es CARTON Leon H. Tobey and Raynor M.Holmes, Newark, N. Y., assignors to Bloomer Bros. Company, Newark, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application March 30, 1942, Serial No436,856

Claims.

This invention relates to containers, or cartons, of the varietycommonly made from foldable sheet material, such as cardboard blanks,cut, scored and folded into carton shape, on object of the inventionbeing to provide such a carton having combined closure and handle meansof a simple, economical and eificient character.

Another object is to provide such combined closure and handle means in aform particularly adapted for containers for liquid or semi-liquidmaterials and insuring a relatively liquid-tight closure, with mean forsecurely locking the same in closed position, while at the same timeaffording efficient handle means for carrying the carton.

A further object is the provision of a carton of the character describedand capable of being economically formed from a cardboard blank of theusual quality, without any substantial increase in the amount of stockrequired, the combined closure and handle means being formedinexpensively from integral parts of the blank itself, so as toeliminate separately formed attachments of metal or other differentmaterials.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a view of the blank before being folded to form the carton;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the carton after being erected butbefore being closed;

ig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the top portion of the cartonafter being closed;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the closed carton, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the carton showing the closure andhandle mean arranged in position for carrying the same.

The invention is disclosed in the present instance, by way ofillustration, as embodied in a carton of the type known as a pail, madefrom a cardboard blank cut, scored, folded and glued in erected orset-up condition, such pails having a relatively leak-proofconstruction, particularly adapted for holding liquid or semi-liquidmaterials and having a top opening which is closed by folding flaps.Such pails have commonly been made with attached metal clip means forsecurely holding the top flaps together to maintain a tight closure andalso with attached means of tape, metal, wire, or the like, to serve asa handl for carrying the pail. The present invention provides combinedclosure and handle mean for such a carton formed integrally andeconomically from the material of the blank itself so as to eliminateseparately formed and attached fastening and handle means.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,

Fig. 1 shows the cut, scored and glued blank which is folded to form thecarton. This blank, made from a single piece of cardboard of the weightand quality usually employed for uch cartons, is formed with the usualscores to assist in folding, as along the lines I, 2, 3, and 4,enclosing and defining a bottom portion 5. Extending radially outwardfrom the corners of the bottom 5 are scored folding lines 6 to [3,inclusive, with the bottom score lines, enclose and define the four sidewalls l4, l5, It, and H, These side walls taper in width, as usual insuch pails, and are erected by folding upwardly on the bottom scorelines I to 4, inclusive.

The webs of material connecting the adjacent side walls, at each cornerof the pail, are each substantially bisected by a folding score line, asat 18, so as to provide folding sections l9 and 26. This construction isthe same at each corner of the pail, so that a description of one of thecorners will suffice. As the side walls l l'and l5 are folded intoerected position, their connecting Web sections, as l9 and 2B, arefolded along the line l8, first outwardly and then toward the side wallM. The corresponding web sections on the other side of side wall M aresimilarly folded outwardly about the score line 2| and then toward theside wall [4 so as to lie under the overlapping sections I9 and 20. Theweb sections between the side walls l5, l6, and H, are folded outwardlyin the same manner and then in overlapping'relation against the sidewall I6.

The corner folds are preferably secured in erected position by theapplication of .suitable glue or other adhesive comprising, in thepresent instance, a glued area 24 by "which the corner section 23 issecured to the wall M. A similar spot of glue 25 serves to secure thesection 20 to wall 84 and a glue spot 26 secures section 20 to section22. The corner folds are thus securely attached to theside walls onoppositesides of the carton, so as to avoid any bottom or sidewalljoints, thus affording a construction which is liquid tight and whichalso substantially reenforces the side walls. Y

The top closure is preferably provided in part by flaps 21 and 28extending integrally upward from the tops of the side walls I! and iii,respectively, with score lines at the tops of the side walls to assistin folding. These extensions form the inner pair of closure flaps, beingpreferably long enough to overlap, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.The other pair of opposite side walls 14 and I6 are integrally extendedupwardly to form the outer pair of top closure flaps 29 and 38 which arefolded inwardly along score lines at the tops of the side walls. Theseouter closure flaps are suificiently long to overlap one another and areformed integrall with the combined closure securing and handle means forthe pail, now to be described.

To this end, fiap 29 is provided with a pair of spaced, transverselyextending and alined cuts 30 and 3| (Fig. 2) extending through thematerial. The outer end of out 30 is preferably widened somewhat into aslot turned angularly inward as at 32 and the outer end of cut 3| has asimilar angular extension 33. Cuts 33 and 3| are preferably joined by anoutwardly bowed,

generally semi-circular slot 34 which produces an enclosed tongue 35hingedly connected with the flap 29 by the uncut area between the spacedinner ends of the cuts 33 and 3|. The ends of slot 34 are somewhatspaced from the inner ends of the cuts 3|] and 3|, as shown, so as toleave lateral shoulders 36 and 31, extending outwardly at the base ofthe tongu 35. The extreme distance across these shoulders is preferablysubstantially equal to the diameter of the opening 4| in flap 38hereafter described.

The other outer flap 38 is somewhat reduced in width by the inwardlyextending edges 39, so as to leave an extension portion 40 preferablyhaving inwardly converging sides and a reduced width at its outer end,as shown. 40 is preferably marked oil? from fiap 38 by a folding scoreline 40a, as shown, and formed adjacent such score line with outwardlyprojecting shoulders 42 and 43. The extreme distance across shoulders 42and 43 is preferably substantially equal to the distance between theends of the cut portions 32 and 33 of the opening formed in flap 29.Portion 40 has formed therein a generally circular opening 4| locatedmainly outwardly beyond the folding score line between portion 40 andflap 38.

After being filled, the pail is closed by first folding down the innertop closure flaps 21 and 28. Then the outer flap 29 is inclined inwardlyand the hinged tongue 35 depressed below the flap so as to present anopening defined by the lines 39 to 34, inclusive. The opposite outer nap38 is then inclined inwardly and its somewhat pointed extremity 40inserted from below upwardly through and beyond the opening defined bythe lines 30 to 34, inclusive, in generally cross ing relation with theflap 29. As portion 49 is thus threaded upwardly through the opening inflap 29, hinged tongue 35 is threaded from below upwardly through andbeyond the opening 4| in generally crossing relation with flap 38 andits portion 43. As the outer flaps 29 and 38 are folded downwardlysubstantially fiat across the top of the carton and portion 43 of flap38 reaches its maximum projection through the opening in flap 29,shoulders 42 and 43 of portion 40 pass through and beyond theextremities of the angular outer ends of the opening and interlock withthe sides thereof, and any upward pull or retraction on the flap causesthe shoulders to ride up further on the angular ends 32 and 33 andinterlock more securely with the edges of the opening. In thisinterlocked relation of portion 40 with flap 29, tongue 35 is projectedtoward the lower portion of the circular opening 4| of portion 40 sothat its shoulders 36 and 31 engage over the converging edges at thebottom of the circular opening and so interlock the tongue 35 with theflap 38 thus forming a Portion second or double interlocking of theouter closure flaps with each other.

The inner and outer closure flaps of the pail are thus interlocked inclosed position by fastening means formed integrally from the materialof the carton blank itself, which holds the flaps effectively in closedposition and securely resists any strain tending to unfold or open them.At the same time this effective closure construction is of such acharacter as to afford means serving as a handle for the pail andlikewise formed integrally from the material of the blank itself, aswill now be described.

It will be noted that portion 4|) of the closure securing means projectssubstantially beyond the opposite flap 29 as best shown in Fig. 4, sothat it may be folded upwardly along th score line 43a adjacent its baseand along the cut portions 3|) and 3|, thus effecting a still moresecure interlocking with flap 29, as shown in Fig. 5. In this upwardlyfolded position, portion 43, with its finger-siz opening 4|, serves asan efficient handle means for carrying the pail. Preferably, also, theextremity of flap 29 is of sufficient length to be folded upwardly atthe uncut portions beyond the outer ends of lines 33 and 3| whichportions are preferabl scored for folding as at 29a. The extremity offlap 29 may thus be folded upwardly parallel with and against portion 40of flap 38 and the extremity of flap 29 is likewise formed with a fingeropening by the slot 34 and the downward bending of the locking tongue35. By this means a handle portion of double thickness and substantialstrength is produced, with a convenient finger opening in eachthickness, so as to provide convenient handle means for the pail formedintegrally from the material of the blank itself.

When the pails are packed in quantity, one upon another, in a largercontainer, the closure means described, taking the position shown inFigs. 3 and 4, is adapted to lie fiat across the top of the pail so asto interpose no obstacle to the compact stacking of the pails one uponanother. After being carried, the pails may be readily unlocked andopened by swinging the handle portions down to the position shown inFigs. 3 and 4 and disengaging the shoulders of each flap extension fromthe opening in the other flap.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects byproviding combined and effective closure locking and handle means for acarton integrally and economically constructed from the material of theblank itself, and while the invention has been disclosed in connectionwith a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that such disclosureis intended in an illustrative sense and not by way of limitation, as itis contemplated that various modifications in the construction andarrangement of parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art,within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A carton made from foldable sheet material and having four sidewalls, one pair of opposite side walls having flaps at their tops foldedinwardly to form inner top closure flaps, the other pair of oppositeside walls having flaps at their tops folded inwardly over said innerflaps to form outer top closure flaps, each of said outer flaps havingtherein a finger receiving, opening and each having a portion projectingfrom below upwardly through and beyond said opening in the other of saidouter flaps and formed with shoulders for interlocking engagement withthe edges of said opening, each of said outer flaps having its extremityfoldable upwardly about a fold line adjacent said opening therein toserve as a handle for said carton.

2. A carton made from foldable sheet material and having four sidewalls, one pair of opposite side walls having flaps at their tops foldedinwardly to form inner top closure flaps, the other pair of oppositeside walls having flaps at their tops folded inwardly over said innerflaps to form outer top closure flaps, each of said outer flaps havingan extremity foldable upwardly about a line of fold at which each ofsaid outer flaps abuts the other thereof to provide handles for thecarton, each of said outer flaps having an opening therein extendingadjacent said fold line thereof, and a portion projecting from each ofsaid outer flaps through and beyond said opening in the other of saidouter flaps and formed with shoulders for interlocking engagement withthe edges of said opening, to provide a double interlocking of saidouter flaps to secure said closure flaps together.

3. A carton made from foldable sheet material and having four sidewalls, one pair of opposite side walls having flaps at their tops foldedin- Wardly to form inner top ClOSlllG flaps, the other pair of oppositeside walls having flaps at their tops folded inwardly over said innerflaps to form outer top closure flaps, one of said outer flaps having anopening cut therein and a hinged tongue with lateral shoulders formedfrom the material cut from said opening, the other of said outer flapshaving a portion passed from below upwardly through and beyond saidopening in the first mentioned outer flap and formed with lateralshoulders in interlocking engagement with said opening said portionhaving an opening cut therein adjacent the first mentioned openingthrough which said tongue of the first mentioned outer flap is projectedupwardly and interlocked, and said outer flaps having extremities foldedadjacent said openings therein to extend upwardly and serve as handlesfor said carton.

4. A carton made from foldable sheet material and having four sidewalls, one pair of opposite side walls having flaps at their tops foldedinwardly to form inner top closure flaps, the other pair of oppositeside walls having flaps at their tops folded inwardly over said innerflaps to form outer top closure flaps, one of said outer flaps having afinger receiving opening cut therein and a hinged tongue with lateralshoulders formed from the material cut from said opening, the other ofsaid outer flaps having a portion passed from below upwardly through andbeyond said opening in the first mentioned outer flap and formed withlateral shoulders in interlocking engagement with said opening and saidportion having a finger receiving opening cut therein adjacent the firstmentioned opening through which said tongue of the first mentioned outerflap is projected upwardly and engaged to provide a double interlock forsecuring said outer fiaps together.

5. A carton made from foldable sheet material and having four sidewalls, one pair of opposite side walls having flaps at their tops foldedinwarclly to form inner top closure flaps, the other pair of oppositeside walls having flaps at their tops folded inwardly over said innerflaps to form outer top closure flaps, each of said outer flaps havingan extremity foldable upwardly about a line of fold at which each ofsaid outer flaps abuts the other thereof to provide handles for thecarton, one of said outer flaps having a. finger receiving opening cuttherein adjacent said fold line thereof and a hinged tongue with lateralshoulders formed from the material out from said opening, the other ofsaid outer fiaps having said extremity thereof passed from belowupwardly through and beyond said opening in the first mentioned outerflap and formed with lateral shoulders in interlocking engagement withsaid opening and said interlocked extremity having also a fingerreceiving opening cut therein adjacent said fold line thereof throughwhich said tongue of the first mentioned outer flap is projectedupwardly and engaged to provide a double interlock for securing saidclosure flaps together,

LEON H. TOBEY. R OR M- H S,

